Information Technology Ethics Case Study: Early Launch Scenario

This case study delves into an IT ethics scenario where a project manager pressures a program director to deliver a project early without encryption to gain incentives. The assignment identifies the ethical issues, analyzes the dilemma, and applies the Doing Ethics Techniques (DET) to evaluate the situation. The core ethical concern revolves around the conflict between potential rewards and the importance of data security. The program director faces pressure to prioritize early delivery, potentially compromising data privacy. The analysis emphasizes the importance of adhering to ethical principles, organizational values, and data protection regulations, leading to the conclusion that the program director should reject the unethical proposal and prioritize ethical conduct over potential personal gains. The case underscores the significance of encryption in maintaining data security and the potential consequences of unethical decisions in the workplace.

Running head: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ETHICS
Information Technology Ethics
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Table of Contents
1. Identified ethical issues:..............................................................................................................2
2. Analyze identified ethical dilemma.............................................................................................3
3. Analyze ethical dilemma using DET:..........................................................................................4
Reference List:.................................................................................................................................6

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Selected Link: Scenario 3: Early Launch. (2018). YouTube. Retrieved 8 March 2018, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5M7ohdZ6qA
1. Identified ethical issues:
In this very specific study scenario, three is chosen in order to evaluate the ethical issue at
the workplace. The project manager recommends program director to deliver the Will’s project
one month early without making any encryption. As per the point of view of project manager,
delivering the project before one month may help them in getting more incentives as well as
appreciation from CEO. They are under overburden of work pressure from the end of CEO. In
this kind of situation, an early delivery of project may help them in drawing the attention of
CEO. In addition, they would get huge amount of bonus if they can deliver the will project
before deadline. However, this particular issue is completely unethical. A professional without
encryption cannot release the project. Implementing data security act within every business
organization is mandatory. Without encryption, data can be leak in any way. As a result, the
organization might have to face immense ethical issue that results a devastating consequence of
the organization as well as the employee.
After making a detailed conversation with the project manager, the program director has
faced innumerable difficulties in making decision. The manager is unable to understand whether
he should give priority of the word of his senior or he should maintain organizational culture and
ethics. Encryption is able to maintain data privacy. An unauthorized person would not be able
use data if the file is encrypted. In this kind of situation, the will project would be safe and
secured if the program director maintain encryption before delivering the file. The organization
would not have to face ethical issues related to data protection.

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2. Analyze identified ethical dilemma
It is undeniable that every business organization has to follow ethical considerations
while running their entire process of business effectively (Trevino & Nelson, 2016). As per
ethical belief of a specific organization, employees should make every file encrypted in quest of
protecting their data and information. Only an authorized person would be able to run this
project. However, it has been observed from the given scenario that project manager is
influencing program director for delivering project before one month without encrypting the file
(Crane & Matten, 2016). In return, the project manager would receive immense appreciation
from the CEO. At the same time, they would get huge amount of additional money for delivering
project before deadline.
The role of a professional is to be ethically correct. Earning more profit from the
organization by using various strategies and policies is completely justified. It is undeniable that
the same time that strategy should not support any unethical activity (May, Luth & Schwoerer,
2014). Delivering the file without encryption may hamper data privacy. An unauthorized person
can run the project if the file is not encrypted. The organization would have to face difficulties in
running their business successfully. Therefore, being a senior project manager the individual
should have a proper sense of maintaining organizational values and ethics.
Earning money should not be the only mission of a professional. Numerous eminent
scholars have provided their own opinion regarding this specific ethical dilemma. Bello (2012)
stated that encrypted files are possessed with limitations as well. In absence of a specific
individual other employee of an organization would not be able to run the project if the file is
encrypted. However, most of the scholars have opined that before delivering any data in outside
the professional should strictly maintain data security act. With the help of this specific act or

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regulation, the professionals would like to maintain encryption so that unauthorized persons are
unable to run the project successfully (Crane & Matten, 2016). In search of gaining respect and
appreciation from CEO, professionals should not follow any unethical activity. As a result, the
organization would be able to sustain in the market for a long time.
3. Analyze ethical dilemma using DET:
Doing Ethics Techniques (DET) is one of the effective tools of finding non-ethical
issues. Based on few questions given in the scenario an individual has to analyze ethical
dilemmas. In this very specific study, DET technique is used for evaluating the given ethical
dilemma. Delivering the will project before one month without encryption was the identified
ethical dilemma in this case scenario. Based on this specific ethical issues one major question is
raised. The question is as follows:
 What would you do?
The scenario has given three major options to select and the options are as follows:
 Program director surrenders to pressure Program director ignores project managers’ recommendation Program director listens to team
If I would be the program manager, I would have chosen option number two that is
Program director ignores project managers’ recommendation. As a professional, I should be
loyal and ethical to my organization first. If my senior manager impose own decision on me for
achieving huge appreciation from CEO I should ignore the decision of my senior. This particular
decision may have numerous negative consequences. I may be deprived of getting higher

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position in future even if I deserve. Still, I should not support any unethical activity at my
workplace.
Without encrypting a file, I should never deliver the project to client. It may hamper the
image and reputation of my organization. In quest of earning bonus, I should not compromise
ethical beliefs, organizational culture and values. Therefore, I would like to ignore the decision
of my project manager. Being a professional, I should follow organizational values and should
have the guts to protest against unjust. Even if my senior manager tends to provoke me for doing
unjust, I should raise my voice. There is no question to discuss with my team members nor even
should I surrender myself under pressure. Rather I would have to stand beside my logic and
convince the manager why I have rejected his proposal. Delivering a will project without
encryption is a complete ethical dilemma. If I agree to deliver the project before one month I
could have involved in fraud cases. However, I should directly ignore the recommendation of my
senior.

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Reference List:
Bello, S. M. (2012). Impact of ethical leadership on employee job performance. International
Journal of Business and Social Science, 3(11).
Crane, A., & Matten, D. (2016). Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and
sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press.
Crane, A., & Matten, D. (2016). Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and
sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press.
May, D. R., Luth, M. T., & Schwoerer, C. E. (2014). The influence of business ethics education
on moral efficacy, moral meaningfulness, and moral courage: A quasi-experimental
study. Journal of Business Ethics, 124(1), 67-80.
Scenario 3: Early Launch. (2018). YouTube. Retrieved 8 March 2018, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5M7ohdZ6qA
Trevino, L. K., & Nelson, K. A. (2016). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do
it right. John Wiley & Sons.